Hidden Room (Second Update)

Xia Lun raised his hand. A deep black flame rose silently from his fingertips.

The Black Flame was cold, without a trace of heat. The faint light remaining in the darkness twisted and swirled with its movements, as though being swallowed whole. "Mmph?!" Renee stared at the flame, unmistakable shock in her eyes.

Renee could not speak, but Xia Lun could roughly guess what she was trying to say.

She was shocked that he had suddenly shown control over the Black Flame. After all, the Warden of Dusk Snow Prison had used it too.

He pressed his palm downward, sending the Black Flame surging out like a wave. But it traveled less than half a meter before vanishing into nothing. The floor remained untouched.

"..." Xia Lun fell silent.

Renee, meanwhile, burst out laughing. She made no effort to hide that she was laughing at him.

Xia Lun ignored her. After a moment's thought, he realized that firing Final Ash directly was not very effective. Perhaps he should try coating a weapon with it instead.

With a turn of his right hand, he conjured a Short Sword. Then, guiding the power with his will, he drew the fingers of his left hand lightly along the spine of the blade. Deep black flames sprang up in an instant and clung tightly to the sword.

The cold flames danced soundlessly, extending several inches beyond the blade's edge. Xia Lun's reach had clearly increased.

"Huh?" Renee stopped laughing at once. She blinked, then took two steps back without needing to be told.

He swung.

Whoom—

Pitch-black fire wrapped around the silver-gray blade, tracing a perfect full-moon arc through the air. The flames swept across the stone. With a short, muffled thud, nearly a meter of rock melted and collapsed like cheese.

Sparks scattered